Lifeguard

Position Purpose:

A lifeguard is vital to ensuring the safety of students, community members, and anyone who visits the Gates Chili Natatorium. The lifeguard is responsible for surveying a body of water and conducting rescues to help weak or injured swimmers get to safety. Their duties include speaking with swimmers to enforce swimming rules keeping track of each swimmer in the water and administering first aid to injured swimmers.

Essential Job Functions:

• Supervises swimming activities and ensures that policies, guidelines, and safety procedures are followed.
• Warns swimmers of improper activities or danger and enforces pool regulations and water safety policies.
• Administers first aid in the event of injury, rescues swimmers in distress or danger of drowning, and administers CPR and/or artificial respiration, if necessary.
• Evaluates conditions for safety and initiates aquatics emergency action plan as required.
• Inspects pool facilities, equipment, and water to ensure that they are safe and usable.

• Supervises and assists in cleaning the pool and related facilities and equipment, assists with chlorine residual water tests and with records and charts of water tests and records of accidents, and adds chemicals to pool water as directed.
• Instructs or assists classes in fundamentals of swimming as needed.
• Resolves scheduling conflicts to ensure safe pool environment when competing programs/priorities require use of aquatic facilities.

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Note:    The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities.  It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Equipment:

• Lifeguards are responsible for providing their own resuscitation mask.

Safety Requirements:

• Follows all applicable safety rules, procedures and regulations

Travel Requirements:

• Travel between schools, or between schools and central offices, may be required for certain positions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge and ability to evaluate water conditions at aquatics facilities, at the beach/ocean, or other offsite natural pools, streams, or rivers to determine any potential dangers or hazards

• Ability to adjust programs as necessary to ensure the safety of the visitors and other staff

• Swimming proficiency and comfort in all types of water conditions
• Ability to judge and evaluate evolving dynamics of individuals participating in aquatic activities to immediately assess their capabilities and threats to their safety
• Knowledge of on-site protocols, operational procedures, and safety policies
• Knowledge of methods and techniques for providing on-site emergency medical services

Note:    Also see the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Job Duties for this position.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards:

• Swim 300 yards and retrieve a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of pool
• Capable of prolonged exposure to hot and humid environments
• Work responsibilities will be performed in and around a pool within a school facility. Some work may be done in a standard office environment within the facility.
• This position can involve sitting, standing, walking, running, stooping, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and swimming.

Qualifications Profile:

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying.  Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• Possession of a valid certificate in the American Red Cross Lifeguarding with CPR, AED and First Aid or a comparable certification. Once hired you will be trained in the American Red Cross certifications.
• Must be at least 15 years of age with work permit